Lightning's Chronicle
by Hylia Goddess of Light
Summary: Lightning faces many struggles in her life. Join her in her journey from her struggles in first grade, to the fight to save her sister Serah from the evil Bhunivelze.
1. Fighting Fate

*****AUTHOR NOTE***** I decided to do a Final Fantasy XIII story about Lightning and her whole backstory. Hope you guys enjoy :)

My name is Claire Farron. I've been Lightning for a long time. When my parents died, I had to be strong, for Serah. I through away anything that would make me weak. I cut those parts away. It all started in first grade.

"Claire!" a voice taunted. "Claire!"

"Sh-shut up!" I yelled. Tears swelled in my eyes, blurring my vision. I wanted to stop them. Am I this weak?

"Haha!" the boys taunted. "Aww! She's crying!" they howled in malice. "Claire! Claire! Claire!"

"Shut UP!" I roared. "Claire Farron disappeared long ago! I'm Lightning!" The tears were gone. I was filled with a new emotion: _rage_. I threw myself at the lead boy. He always picked on me. I punched very part of him that I could reach. I pulled his blonde hair, until he screamed for mercy. I stood up and took a defensive posture. I calculated the odds I had of winning, as the boys cornered me.

"Lightning, huh?" the main brat snarled. "What a stupid name!"

Lightning, it strikes once, and then disappears. It cannot protect, only damage. The boys drew nearer. I was up against the wall. Then, I did something that they'd never see coming. I plower right into the ringleader. I knocked him down, and punched him in the stomach. The other boys ran to fight me. Pow! I kicked one in the face and sent him sprawling on the ground. I grabbed the other kid's wrist, and threw him into the wall.

"Are you gonna stop this, Snow?" I asked the main child. "If you don't want to, I got more where that came from!" I snarled.

"Mercy! Mercy!" he gasped. I put my foot on his stomach. Sadly, a teacher saw this.

"Claire Farron!" she said in an outraged voice. "Come with me right now!" She grabbed me by the hand and dragged me in to the school. The smooth, stone walls made it feel chilly. I looked into classrooms, where students learnt. They looked at me, as Teacher dragged me along. I saw my sister, Serah. She looked at me with a face full of shock. I was pushed in the principal's office. It was more like his lobby, for those waiting to be punished. I took a seat in one of his comfy armchairs. He had paintings of the fireworks festival that they put on every year. They were beautiful. They still couldn't get rid of the feeling of dread that I felt as I waited. The principal is a hard man. He grills you for hours on what you did. The office door opened, disturbing me from my thoughts. The principal walked out with a tall man. He had blonde hair, and a very kind face. He looked familiar. The principle broke off when he saw me.

"In here _again_, Claire?" he asked.

"It's Lightning! Don't call me Claire!" I said, glaring at him.

"Oho!" the other man exclaimed. "Feisty, this one! You'd make a great soldier for the Sanctum." he told me.

"I'm Lieutenant Amodar!" he said, extending his hand. I shook it.

"Nice to meet you, sir." I replied. He looked so majestic in his soldier's garb. I wanted to be just like him. So proud, so regal.

"If you ever need me, just come to the Guardian Corps office! It's in south Bodhum." he told me, slightly bowing his head. "When your older, you might even want to consider joining." he smiled, as he walked off. He seemed so nice. Maybe I should join.

"Now, Claire-" the principal started.

"Don't _call _me that!" I snarled. I got up off of the chair and left the room, slamming the door.

"Get back here right now!" he said angrily. I started to run down the narrow corridors of the school. I ran and ran. I stopped to catch my breath.

"Aha!" he said, catching me by the arm. "What would your _parents _say if they saw your behaviour today?" he asked me in a stern voice.

"I don't know!" I shouted. "When they come back from the _dead, _then I'll ask them!" I scowled at the principle. He faltered under my intense glare.

"I-I'm so sorry." he told me gently, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"_Sorry _doesn't bring back the dead!" I shouted. The bell rang. Kids started to fill the halls. They looked at me and the principle, and chatted eagerly.

"You're dismissed." the principle told me. I walked to the front of the school, and waited for Serah. She came bounding up to me, her pink hair bouncing. She was two years younger than me, but already a beautiful young girl. Her blue eyes glimmered with kindness, her smile brightened up the day. She was the only one who could make me smile or laugh. She wore her school uniform in just the perfect way. Skirt was not too short like some of the whores in fifth grade. She wore her tie, too. I had my shirt unbuttoned halfway, and you could see my black under shirt. I took off the school shirt, and skirt. I had a pair of shorts under it. They were black shorts. Around my neck, I wore a necklace. It was a locket with a picture of Mum and Dad. We both looked more like Mum. We had her pink hair, her nose, and her smile. The only part that we inherited from our father was our eyes. Blue like the ocean. Serah liked to joke that I inherited his lack of humour.

"Hiya, Lightning!" she said, hugging me. I patted her head awkwardly. She really idolised me. I had to be there for her. I was her parent now. I would protect you, Serah, from all of the things that would hurt you. I don't ever want to leave you behind like our father did. Those were my thoughts for the rest of my life. Our father left our mum when Serah was born. Mum was devastated, but she still tried to take care of Serah. I usually was the one there for her.

We boarded the north-bound train to North Bodhum. People looked at us weirdly. Probably because I was only in first grade, and me and my sister were riding a subway train by ourselves.

"Where are their parents?" I heard a woman ask her boyfriend. I looked at her, my eyes filled with dislike.

"It's rude to talk about people," I told her, narrowing my eyes. "If you want to know, come and ask me, I doubt your boyfriend knows the answer."

"What!" she gasped. I smiled.

"To answer your question, they're dead." I told her. She looked away and stayed quiet for the rest of the ride.

"The train is now arriving in North Bodhum. Passengers with a North Bodhum ticket, please exit." a pleasant female voice said.


	2. Fight for Serah

Eight years have passed since that day I saw Amodar. I was now a freshman in the South Bodhum High School. Have I changed a lot over the years? Yea, you could say that. I had gotten much taller, and my form had filled out more. I had large breasts, but not too large. Unlike my sister Serah, I didn't wear my hair in a ponytail. I just wore it down, or over my shoulder. I didn't wear cute clothes like her either. She was more childish and sweet still, that hadn't changed at all. I wore makeup like the rest of the girls in my high school, but I kept it to a minimum, whereas, they wore caked on makeup with about five hundred layers of mascara. For me, I did one layer of black mascara, filled in my eyebrows slightly, after shaping them to delicate arches, and I wore a little bit of lip gloss. It was the simple, but pretty approach. Was I pretty? I guess so, many guys hit on me, but I didn't care too much about looking like the other girls. I wore a white tight tank top that ended just above my belly button. My belly button right glinted in the light of my bedroom. I put on a pair of short shorts, and swept my hair back, where it rested on the small of my back.

I walked out of my room and it was about 6:20 A.M. Serah had just finished her cereal. She wore her button up white shirt, with a few buttons undone to show off her cleavage, and her skirt was a little high, but not too high. She wore a few coats of mascara and some blush. She was one of those popular girls, but she wasn't mean like the rest of them; she has a kind heart.

"Hiya, Light!" she smiled. "You ready to go?"

"Yes," I told her. "After you button up your shirt a button. You're in eighth grade." I scolded. She did it, and we left.

The morning air felt cool, but not too cool. It was a nice morning. The wind danced in the trees, and the flowers had just started to open, releasing their aromas. The streets were silent in this early hour. The few people we encountered swept by like ghosts, then again, we probably did too.

We arrived at the North Bodhum station. I should probably explain why we live in North Bodhum, and yet we go to school in South Bodhum. South Bodhum has amazing schools, and the teachers do a great job at what they do, and they wont let you down. At the North Bodhum schools, the education isn't as good. Serah had been begging me many times over the years to let her go to North Bodhum Middle School. My answer was always a solid no. They don't really do much for the students, and the students end up going down a bad path, and end up getting locked up by the Guardian Corps and purged to Gran Pulse. I took my education very seriously, and I wanted Serah to take hers seriously too. She didn't realise how much it meant to me to see her succeed. For Etro's sake, I spent most of my life raising the girl, trying to make sure she didn't end up with the wrong crowd. I was nervous that I couldn't keep as close of an eye on her now that I go to a new school.

The train slid into the station silently, and the doors slid back, revealing the inviting interior. Serah and I stepped into the train and took our seat on the comfortable padded benches.

"So, Serah, how was your first week of eighth grade?" I asked her, wondering if I needed to show up and teach some punks a lesson.

"It's going really well, Sis. I've been hanging out with Natasha and Chloe more, and all of their friends." she told me. She started telling me all of the gossip of the school, like who is dating who, and who is fighting with who. I frowned to myself. She wasn't focusing on her academics.

"Tell me about your classes." I told her, sharply changing the subject.

"They are going really well. I love my history class." she told me.

"What have you learnt?"

"Well, so far we have covered how Bhunivelze created the world after he banished Mwynn to the Chaos. We also learnt about Pulse, and this other god." she said excitedly.

_"Now arriving in: South Bodhum station. Connections to Eden, Palumpolum, Sulyya, and Nautilus can be made here. For connections to The Hanging Edge, Lake Bresha, Vile Peaks, and the Gapra Whitewood Forest, please have your Sanctum Military ID ready." _A pleasant female voice said through the speakers in the train. I took Serah's hand and got up, dragging her out of the train, and walking towards the direction of her school. I let go of her hand and she walked beside me nervously.

"What?" I snapped. "You afraid to be seen with me, or something?"

"N-no! It's just…this girl named Natalie has been giving me trouble, and she said she was going to beat me up today." she squeaked as we got closer to the school. It was a two story tall glass complex, and within, I could see the staff milling around, mixed with some students. In the back, it had tables, and a large, grassy field.

"Well, show me this 'Natalie' girl and let's see how tough she is." I growled. We walked to the field, and a rather brutish girl came up to Serah and me.

"Ha, well look who it is. Little Miss Farron, the perfect girl." she said harshly, looking at Serah. "And who's this? Your slutty sister?"

"You better stop right there, before you regret this." I snarled, making her laugh idiotically.

"Ha! Like you could do anything, you fucking twig!" She said, swinging a fist at me. Serah jumped back in fright, and melted into a crowd of her friends. I ducked, hearing her hand go _whoosh_.

"No one messes with my little sister." I said, grabbing the girl's wrist as she swung at me again. She tried to wrench her arm free, but I had a grip of iron. I let go, and back handed her, making her fall to the ground. I turned around to see if Serah was alright, and I saw her eyes widen at something behind me. I predicted where the girl was going to attack, and because my calculations were correct, I caught her wrist from behind me, and flipped her over, stepping on her stomach.

"Coward! You would attack someone behind their back!" I kicked her in the side. "Only a coward does that!" I picked her up by her shirt and pushed her. "Get out of here, you pissy little shit!"

"Lightning…" Serah looked at me, pleadingly as a teacher came to see what the commotion was. I kissed her forehead and snapped my finger, disappearing with an electric sounding _snap! _

Okay, let me back up. I guess I should explain what I did, shouldn't I? My family could do magic because one of our ancestors came from a tribe on Gran Pulse many many years ago. She came from the Paddra tribe, which were an elite society of spell casters, led by a young seeress. When my parents were younger and full of adventure, they led an expedition to Gran Pulse in secret. They learnt a lot about my Mom's distant lineage. I hadn't told Serah that we were related to _the _Seeress of Paddra; Paddra Nsu Yeul. Because of that, we had been born with the ability to have some control over the elements. I was particularly skilled with lightning, which was ironic. Serah was really good with medical type magic, and wind magic. We both had a pretty good grasp of using beneficial magics. I could also control a magic called Anti-Matter, which people on Cocoon use an AMP chip for; Anti-Matter Power chip. It allows them to kinda distort gravity. Have you ever heard of the phrase, "back in a flash?" Well, I can literally use lighting to transport me, which is what I did.


	3. Descendant of the Seeress

I stood in front of the doors to the high school. They were twenty foot tall brass doors, a blatant reminder that those were literally the gates to hell. I pushed one of the heavy doors open and walked into the big, marble hallways. People milled around, talking to their friends. As I walked down to my history class, a familiar face blocked my way.

"Snow." I said coldly, trying to walk around him. He blocked my way. "Move out of my way."

"What's the magic word?" he asked in a whisper.

"I said _move_!" I snarled, pushing him. There was an electric snap, and the smell of ozone, and Snow was blasted into a wall. Everyone was quiet, and then started to whisper. I walked as fast as I could, until I was in my history class.

"You're early." Mr. Hanju said. He said it neither harsh nor disapprovingly. "Since you are early, I will tell you what we are learning about today. We are learning about the people of Paddra, and their Seeress leader Yude." he told me.

"Yeul." I corrected, slightly irritated.

"Pardon?" he said.

"Her name is Yeul." I told him.

"The historical documents tell us her name was Yude." he argued. I took a breath and looked at him.

"I am her direct descendant. She was the leader of Paddra. They were an advanced civilisation of Gran Pulse. They built a great city, and for centuries the city flourished under the rule of Paddra Nsu Yeul. In reality, there was always a girl of each generation who looked the same, sounded the same, even acted the same, yet they all had their differences. They all were called 'Yeul.' Paddra fell into ruin when one of the Yeuls saw the destruction of her city, and yet tried to avert it. See, the Yeuls always died early because their ability to see into the future was a blessing and a curse. It was a gift from the Goddess Etro, but there was a terrible price for that 'gift.' Her life was shortened every time she made a prophecy." I explained. He looked completely shocked and startled at the new information.

"Now young lady, that is a bold claim you have made, saying that our history is written wrong, and that you are a descendant of the leader of Paddra. Do you have proof?" he asked me, putting on his glasses. I breathed, reluctant to show him that I could do magic.

"Yea, I'll show you proof, but don't freak out, alright?" I told him. I snapped my fingers, and little sparks of electricity hopped between my fingers.

"Well, it is well known that the people of Gran Pulse could use magic, but that doesn't back up your claim about being related to the Seeress. Can you See?" he asked me. I thought for a second. I had never tried before, because I knew what it could do to you, but I never told Serah because I didn't want her to know she had that power. I closed my eyes and channeled the powers of Etro.

"Listen carefully, for I will only do it once, for I told you it would lessen my life…" I told him. My eyes flashed golden, and a mist surrounded us. "S_ix will join together by the awakened Fal'Cie._" I said. I saw the images, energy wrapping around me, Snow, and other people I didn't recognise. I was wearing a military outfit, and my boob was branded with the mark of a Pulse Fal'Cie.

"_Though they fight, Cocoon will fall, but by the sacrifice of two from Pulse, the Gates of Valhalla will not be awakened._" I said, falling to my knees. I could feel more images rushing to me, threatening to sweep me away, and my life along with it. I severed the flow of the powers, and started shaking.

"Miss Farron," the teacher began. "You must not speak of this to _anyone_! This is serious…if it were found out that you are the descendant of Yeul…who knows what could happen. The Pompa Sancta would use you and cut your life short." He took a breath and set his papers down. "Class is about to begin, and since you obviously know today's materials better than I, you may be excused. I will give you full points for the homework I am assigning."

"Thank you, Sir. That means I can check up on Serah." I said, bowing my head slightly. I walked out of the classroom, and down the halls.

"Hey, Lightning." a boy said. I turned to look at him. He has bangs that swept over his head. They were a chocolate brown, as were his eyes. He was on the short side, and he had a cute, boyish look to him.

"Hiya Arc." I smiled. He started walking side by side with me.

"So I was wondering…" he started. He nervously glanced around and lowered his voice. "You know the fall dance, right?" he asked. I frowned. I didn't expect to be asked by him of all people, but I carried on listening.

"Yea, I'm probably not going to go. Nobody is going to ask me." I told him. It was true, although I was beautiful, I was tough, and the guys didn't like that.

"Oh please go!" He begged. "You see…I-I'm taking my boyfriend Ingus, a-and I'm scared that Snow, I-I mean someone might try to beat us up." he told me with pleading eyes.

"Oh, alright." I told him, ruffling his hair. His eyes lit up in delight. "But I need to make arrangements for my sister Serah. I don't want her to be alone at home. I live all the way across Bodhum."

"Thank you, Lightning. Um, do you have this period off?" he asked me.

"Yes, because I know the material being taught in history. I was just about to head over to the South Bodhum Middle School. I want to check up on Serah." I explained.

"Oh, can I come with you?" he asked. I felt a small surge of frustration. I was going to teleport there, but if he came along it would take me five extra minutes to walk there.

"Alright. Let's go." I told him, walking out of the tall doors.

We chatted on the way to the school. I told him about my life with Serah and how I basically raised her and that I come to her school at least once a day to check up on her. He told me that he has two brothers, and his mother died giving birth to him. He was the youngest child, and his dad was a lazy slob who had no love for any of his sons. Then he told me that one say when he was at the Nautilus Carnival he met his boyfriend Ingus, who also happened to live in Bodhum, but he lived in North Bodhum, so they didn't get to see each other all of the time because of the long commute. We arrived at the school, and went up to the main desk. There was a new lady working there. She had raven black hair, many many wrinkles, and she had green eyes. Her name tag read Griselda. She looked up when we came to the desk.

"What is your business here? You surely have classes to be at?" she asked us in a rather rude tone.

"I've come to check up on my sister Serah and check in with her teachers to make sure she is okay." I said, taking a deep breath.

"Serah…?"

"Farron." I finished.

"Well I'm sorry, I cannot allow you to do that. However, if you were Ms. Farron's guardian, then I might be able to allow it." she said with a nasty smile.

"I _am_ her guardian." I said through clenched teeth.

"But yet you just said that you are her sister?"

"Our parents are dead." I said coldly.

"Clear out before I call security." she said in a deadly voice.

"Withered old fuck." I said, walking out the doors with Arc.


	4. Brawl of the Ball

Months past as the summer days started to get cooler, marking the start of fall. I stood in front of my mirror, getting ready for the Fall Dance. I had my hair braided and wrapped in a bun on the back of my head, with a net of pearls over the bun. A ringlet of hair spiralled down to my collar bone. I wore a rope of pearls around my neck, and pearl earrings. I wore an elegant dress. It was deep red, and came down in a V shape, showing much of my cleavage. The dress gracefully swept down, covering my feet. Under the dress, I wore a short, black shirt, and a pair of beige short shorts. I did my makeup to perfection, wearing a deep red lipstick, and smokey eyeshadow. I walked out of my room, making my sister gasp. She was in a purple cocktail dress, and had her hair down for once. She was simple, but beautiful nonetheless.

"Wow! Sis," she said breathlessly. "You look like a goddess."

"Thanks Serah. You all ready?" I asked her, smiling. My heart swelling with her praise. I decided to take her to the dance so she could have fun. I remember when I asked her if she could go, she was so surprised. I felt bad, because I barely let her have fun. I'm always hard on her so she succeeds.

"Yea. Lets go." she nodded. We walked out of the house, our heels clacking on the pavement. We took the train as usual. The train ride was silent. I could tell Serah was nervous. I had done a great deal to make sure she would be able to attend the dance, even though she was in middle school.

_"Now arriving in: South Bodhum station. Connections to Eden, Palumpolum, Sulyya, and Nautilus can be made here. For connections to The Hanging Edge, Lake Bresha, Vile Peaks, and the Gapra Whitewood Forest, please have your Sanctum Military ID ready."_

We got out of the train and I grabbed her hand, snapping my fingers, making us appear at the school. Now, I bet you are wondering, _Well, Light? If you can just snap your fingers and teleport, then why do you take the train? _The answer is, I can't. I wouldn't be able to make the distance, and I would probably end up dying if I tried. We stood at the front of the school. Students milled around, finding their partners. Girls wore extravagant ballgowns, and boys wore suits.

"Now at nine, meet me at the front of the school. It is still a school night for you, so I need to get you home around ten. Okay?" I told Serah.

"Alright, Sis!" she said in excitement. She ran off and into the gym, where the ball was being held. I scanned the crowd until I found Arc standing nervously with a blonde haired boy. I walked over to them, people turning and gasping as they saw me. My archenemy of girls named Kara let out a gasp, and I heard her tell her friend how pretty I looked. I walked up to Arc and his boyfriend. I analysed Ingus more, now that I was closer to him. He had a short nose like Arc, his skin was powder white, and his eyes were like a warm summer sky. His choppy blonde hair managed to look windblown even in the absence of wind. He wore a red vest like shirt, with a white collared shirt under it. He also wore a pair of black skinny jeans. I smiled when I saw him holding hands with Arc. Arc smiled with delight when he saw me.

"Woah, Light. You look like a love goddess." he said breathlessly.

"So I've heard." I laughed. I rarely laugh, so Arc was surprised. We had been hanging out for months and months and this was the first time. "Greetings, Ingus. It's nice to finally get to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." I smiled, extending a hand as an invitation. He shook my hand and grinned.

"I've heard a lot about you. I've gotta say, I'm glad you're gonna be watching over us. You look so elegant, but I've heard the stories about how you protect my little Arc-y." he told me. All three of us walked into the dark maw of the dance floor.

It was loud, it was hot, and it was humid. In other words, I hated it. I watched Ingus and Arc slowly dance, kissing every now and then, getting mean looks from people. The dress stuck to me from sweat.

_Fuck this. _I thought. I let my hair down, and threw the pearl net. It disappeared with a _shink! _So did all of my jewellery, except for my favourite necklace, which I never take off. That was much better, my head could finally feel the breeze, and my body cooled down a lot. I watched Arc and Ingus some more, until something happened that would change my life. A rather buff guy named Horus walked up to Ingus and Arc. I jumped up and pushed through the crowd to get to them. I saw him push Arc and call him something vulgar.

"Horus!" I yelled. He turned away from Arc, who was being helped up by Ingus.

"Fight someone else!" I snarled at him. He smiled evilly.

"Alright then," he said in his stupid voice. "Let's fight."

"That's the last mistake you want to make." I said in a deadly voice. The dance went quiet, as people made a ring around us. He rushed at me and punched me, sending me flying. He had hit me right in the side of the head, and it hurt like hell. I growled and ripped off my dress, revealing my shorts and my black tank top.

"You fucking cunt!" I screamed. He swung at me again, but I ducked, and socked him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. Then, I punched him in the nose, breaking it and spraying him with blood. I heard a man yell.

"Every out of my way!"

Horus swung at me again, but I grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back. He let out a strangled cry. I pushed him onto the ground and kicked him hard. I would have kept kicking him, but a buff military man grabbed my arm and pulled me out into the hall.

"Now that was quite the hand-to-hand combat. It's the most impressive display I have seen in a while." he told me. I was in shock, I thought he was going to punish me. "I would introduce myself, but we already met; a long time ago." Then it dawned on me.


	5. Guardian Corps

"Lieutenant Amodar," I said. "A pleasure to see you again."

"You are fifteen, are you not?" he asked. I nodded and he looked delighted. "Good, you are old enough to consider joining the Guardian Corps. Would you like to join, and train under me?" he asked me.

"Yes, Sir!" I said, saluting him. He smiled and ruffled my hair.

"Good," he grinned. "Now follow me, we must get you outfitted appropriately, Private Farron." I looked at the clock. It was only seven, I had plenty of time. I walked with him out of the school, and a few blocks south, until we reached a long, grey building. He scanned his military ID on the sensor and opened a door.

We stepped into a brightly lit room. It was made of grey cinderblocks. The industrial lighting overhead eliminated all shadows. He opened a wardrobe and went through it, until he found an outfit.

"I like the look of the beige short shorts on you. I'll make it a part of your uniform, but also wear this." he told me, giving me a beige sleeveless jacket. It had two front pockets near the stomach. I put it on, raising the collar slightly. He gave me a pair of skin tight black gloves that ran up to the middle of my forearm. He also gave me one shoulder plate with a single mark that looked like a V. It glowed yellow. The mark of a Private of the Sanctum Army. He also gave me a pouch that I strapped to my leg.

"It's filled with your AMP chip and some elixirs. Now lets go to the armoury." he told me, leading me through another door into a similar room. The walls were lined with many guns. Some were long, automatic machine guns, some were rocket launchers, some were little hand guns, and there was one that could turn into two hand guns, or one shot gun. I made my way through until one caught my eye. It was folded up, and it looked like a giant switch blade.

"Ahh, a SaberEdge Gun Blade." he said wisely. "A great choice. This is a time where there are still many swords."

"I'll take this one." I said, hitting a button, and smiling as it unfolded into a long, wickedly shaped sword. Right above the handle, was a trigger. Perfect.

"Alright, Private Farron. Let me just fill out the paper work to release it to you." he filled it out, and I folded the gun blade up, and put it in a holder that rested horizontally and hung down to about the middle of my thighs. The handle hung out so I could easily pull it out and be ready for combat.

"We should get you to the school. I understand you have a sister. And come back on Saturday to report for training. You should know that your duty as a Guardian Corps member, you must help those in need, even if you are not on an assignment." he told me, opening the doors. "Oh, we need to get you an official ID." He took out a machine and took my picture. Then, he handed me a circular device that looked like a makeup mirror. I flipped it open, and realised it was like a circular cell phone. I tapped the middle button on the screen, and my picture popped up on the top screen.

_Private Claire 'Lightning' Farron_

_Sanctum Military, Guardian Corps Bodhum Division_

_Training under Lieutenant Amodar_

_Age: 15_

_Eye Colour: Greenish-blue_

_Hair Colour: Rosy Pink_

_Restrictions: Hanging Edge, Vile Peaks_

I looked at it, and then flipped it closed.

"That is your military identification device. You can pull up your ID, make calls, check databases, and also scan a person to pull up their information if you have reason to. I trust you will find your way to the school." he said, clearly dismissing me.

"Sir, yes Sir!" I saluted. I walked away, and went back towards the school. I found Ingus and Arc making out in some bushes.

"Arc!" I hissed. They broke apart and he looked at me with wide eyes.

"Woah! You joined the military?" he said in a shocked whisper.

"Well, yea. I joined the Guardian Corps, Bodhum Division." I told him. My green shoulder plate casted a dim yellow light from the yellow mark that showed my rank. "It's getting late, I better find Serah." I told them, walking off, my head held high with a new authority. I pushed through the crowed until I found Serah. She was making out deeply with Snow… I marched up to her, and yanked her by her arm. Glaring, I told him:

"If you _ever _hurt my sister, I _will_ use all of my power to make sure you never hurt anyone else again." Then, I pulled Serah through the crowd, until we were out of the school.

"Sis…y-you joined the Guardian Corps? What about school?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"It was my plan all along to get into the Sanctum Military, Serah. I was just doing my best till I was old enough. I thought you had to be sixteen. But, I want you to still get a good education, because it will help you a lot. I can still go to school, Sis." I told her as we walked up to the ticket counter at the bus stop.

"Ticket please." The conductor said. I pulled out my ID device and flicked it open.

"I'm with the Sanctum Army, Guardian Corps Department, Devision Bodhum." I said officially. He let us on, and we rode all the way home in silence. There was a tension in the air between Serah and I.


	6. Sergeant Farron

A year had passed since that night. Serah had gotten used to the fact that I was now a part of the Sanctum. She was now in high school with me, and I didn't supervise her as much as I used to. At this point, it was up to her if she wanted to succeed if she wanted. I sometimes saw her in the halls at school, and she would smile at me, and I might give her a hug.

I got ready for school today. It was going to be a big day today, because I was getting promoted to a sergeant in the Guardian Corps. I was going all the way to the capital Eden to receive my promotion from the Primarch himself. He is also called the Pompa Sancta. He was the leader of Cocoon, and was the l'Cie of the Fal'Cie Eden.

I put on my black bra, sighing as I did so. My boobs had reached size D, and it was rather annoying when I had to wear many tight outfits for my job. I then put on a jet black spaghetti strap skin tight shirt that ended just above my belly button, so my piercing showed. Then, I put on my beige short shorts, and strapped my leg pouch on, and made sure I had my AMP chip, and three elixirs along with my Sanctum ID device. Then, I threw on my jacket, but didn't zip it up. After that, I put my black gloves on, and shoulder plate. I really loved the gloves because they looked like a matte black spandex. I finished my hair and makeup, wearing a little bit of blush and mascara today. I walked out and saw Serah eating her Long Gui shaped Cereal.

"Hey, Sis!" she said pleasantly. I smiled and kissed her forehead.

"How's it going Serah?" I asked her.

"I'm tired. After school can I go over to a friend's house?" she asked me.

"As long as you get your homework done when you get home. I'm gonna get home late because I have to go to Eden today." I told her. I hadn't told her that I had gotten the promotion yet, and that I would be seeing the Primarch in person. I wanted it to be a surprise.

"Oh. Do you have work to do there? I thought they would have the capital covered. Are they short on soldiers or something?" she asked me. She kept up on politics and knew that the Capital was one of the most well kept places on Cocoon. Serah had decided that she wanted to go into politics when she was older and become the next Vice Primarch.

"No," I told her, straightening my collar, and strapping my gun blade to the back of my belt. I looked at her, a big smile on my face. "I'm getting a promotion!" I told her, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Oh, Lightning! That's great! I'm so happy for you, that's so great." she hugged me and smiled. I took her hand and led her outside.

"Well, let's go to school, because we can't be late, and I have to leave at lunch. Be home by eight, alright? You can also skip school today when I go too. I know you were planning to anyways. I'll dismiss it, so you have a perfect record still." I told her. Her eyes widened in surprise and she gasped.

"How did you know I was going to skip today?" she asked in amazement.

"I know you Serah. If you get super excited about something you want it to happen right away." I told her. We walked to the trains and got in the southbound train to South Bodhum.

_"Arriving at South Bodhum Station. The Sanctum Public Transportation Department wishes you a great day! Connections to_ _Palumpolum, Sulyya, and Nautilus can be made here. For connections to The Hanging Edge, Lake Bresha, Vile Peaks, and the Gapra Whitewood Forest, please have your Sanctum Military ID ready. Due to recent events, please have your Sanctum provided Citizen ID, or Sanctum Military ID ready for connections to Eden." _The pleasant female voice announced. About six months ago, someone had tried to bomb the Eden-bound train, and took it hostage, escaping in Eden and holding an entire hotel hostage. It had taken the Palumpolum, Sulyya, and Nautilus Guardian Corps units, and the PSICOM devision to secure the hotel and take out the man. I was the one who snuck into his room and arrested him. That is how I got promoted to a Corporal. I remember I had been working over time, planning and planning until I got my plan ready and came in. Now, the promotion to Sergeant would get me a pay raise and more command. I currently get a thousand Gil a week, but with the promotion, I get a one-hundred percent increase in salary. So that would be two thousand Gil a week. I planned to get my sister Serah a diamond necklace after the promotion ceremony. We went to school, and the students looked at me in surprise. Yea, they knew that I was a part of the Guardian Corps, but I never really showed up to school in uniform. I never brought my gun blade either. I kept a military issued folding knife on me at all times, even in school, just in case I needed it. Right now, that knife was strapped to my boot in a knife holder. I had another on the other boot, with many more weapons for my job. The principal stopped me and pulled me into his office.

"Miss Claire Farron!" he said, making me snarl. "I cannot allow you to bring these weapons into the school. If you read the handbook, it specifically states that there is to be no weapons on school grounds. I will have to suspend you for this."

"Mr. Alban," I started, looking into his eyes. "I am sure you know, that I am with the Sanctum Military, Guardian Corps Bodhum Devision. I have come dressed in full uniform," I said, pointing to my shoulder plate, showing my corporal status. "because at about twelve o'clock I have pressing business in our Capital Eden with the Pompa Sancta. I would not normally go to school in full uniform. If you have a problem, please talk to my advisor, Lieutenant Amodar." I said, standing up.

"I'm sorry about that, Corporal Farron. I am sorry for the mistake, you are free to go, and good luck in Eden." he told me, opening his door, and letting me out. I walked down the hall with authority, my boots thudding on the tiled floors.

"Oh, woah Lightning. You look awesome in your uniform." Arc said, as I walked into our history class. It was the class just before lunch.

"And the Pompa Sancta began when the Fal'Cie Eden branded Patriarch Dalvvgar his personal l'Cie. He had the powers to unite all of Cocoon, for the war that the people of Pulse had launched upon her. There is a hole in Bresha City from an extraordinary attack.

"The city of Bresha is going to be fully restored in a month, and civilians will be allowed to live there again, for the first time in a thousand years." the history teacher told us. There was a scribble of pens on paper as we all took notes. The bell rang about twenty minutes later, and I walked out, but was tailed by Arc.

"Where are you going, Lightning?" He asked, following me as I walked down to the station.

"I have to go to Eden. I'm getting a promotion." I told him, smiling.

"Can I go with you? Please? Please?" he begged me, giving me those chocolate coloured puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, alright," I sighed. "You can go, but don't cause any trouble. I'll have to vouch for you, because you don't have an ID do you?"We could get you one in Eden if you want too."

He skipped in excitement, and we walked to the platform, where the security guard looked at us.

"Sanctum issued ID please." he told us tersely. I pulled out my Military device and flipped it over, touching a few buttons, until I pulled up my ID. I showed it to him and he nodded.

"He's with me." I told the guard, who frowned.

"ID?" he asked Arc. "I'm sorry, it is just the protocol."

"He doesn't have an ID yet. He's only fifteen." I told the guard.

"Rules are rules, I'm afraid."

I pulled out my device again, and tapped it a few times, until I opened up the CDB, the Civilian Data Base. I scrolled down until I found Arc's picture.

_Arc Valheim_

_Age: 15_

_Eye Colour: Brown_

_Hair: Brown_

_Height: 5' 6"_

_No red flags on this civilian_

_No red flags on any direct relatives_

I showed it to the guard, who looked at it for a minute, and then nodded. I snapped the device closed and waited on the platform with Arc.

"How did you convince him? I thought I had to have an ID." Arc asked me, with wide eyes.

"My SMD allows me to not only pull up my ID, and surf the web and call, but it also lets me access the CDB since I might need it." I told him. I observed the blank look on his face and laughed. "SMD is my Sanctum Military Device, and the CDB is the Civilian Data Base."

"Ohhhhh!" he said, the information dawning on his face. "Now I understand."

_"The Eden-bound train is now arriving." _A pleasant female voice said. The train slid in smoothly, and the doors opened. Arc and I, and about twenty other people entered the train as fifteen people exited. I sat down near the back with Arc, and observed the people on board. Everything was going smoothly, but of course _that _had to end.

Twenty minutes into our ride, two men got up and walked towards the front, to the conductor's cabin. They tried to get in, but it was locked. The man on the left pulled out a gun and aimed it at the crowd.

"Nobody move, this is a hijacking. This train is now under hostage!" he yelled in a deep voice. Arc looked at me with scared eyes.

"I'll take care of it," I muttered. I stood up, and the man looked at me. I snapped my fingers, and with an electric _pop_, time slowed down for him, and gravity was defied. I pulled out my gun blade, as he fired at me. The bullets went in slow motion, and I sliced them out of the air, and shot a few bullets at him. They hit him in the shoulder, and I jumped up, kicking off of the back wall, and propelled myself towards the front, tackling both of the men down to the ground. I pulled out some handcuffs from my satchel on my leg, and I handcuffed them, binding them to a seat with magic. Then, I pulled out my SMD, and pushed it against the conductor's door, making it open. I had told him what had happened, and to alert the Eden Security Force. I left and locked the door, sitting next to Arc.

"I can see why you're getting a promotion." Arc told me. "You were amazing back there!"

_"Now arriving at Eden Station. All connections can be made at this station. For Sanctum Military Destinations, please have out your Sanctum Issued Military ID." _

Three PSICOM officers charged onto the train. PSICOM wear full body military armour, and helmets that have a gas mask on them. They usually carry heavy duty machine guns.

"Corporal Farron, reporting, Sir!" I said, saluting the leader of the PSICOM squad. He was a sergeant, just like I was going to be.

"Sergeant Malcolm, reporting. Thank you Corporal Farron." he said. I helped him get the two men out of the train, as a group of onlookers craned their necks to see what was happening. Arc gasped in amazement as he looked upon the gargantuan buildings.

"Holy shit! This place is huge!" he told me. The sky-high white buildings gleamed in the light, and some of them were lost in the fluffy white clouds.

We walked towards the tall tower in the middle of the city. It was strong, but yet it looked delicate. It came up to a delicate point, and water fountains gurgled as they filled pools all around the Capitol Building. About twenty guards lined the path to the entrance to the Pompa Sancta; Ten on each side. At the doors, four guards blocked the entrance. They had a steely look about them and they saluted me as I walked passed. When I reached the doors with Arc, one of the guys looked at me.

"ID's please." he demanded.

I pulled up both of ours on my SMD, and showed him. He nodded, and him and the other three guards moved aside as the doors swung inward. The ceilings were about seventy feet high, and vaulted like a cathedral. They all ringed around a central elevator. Fountains gurgled, and people sat around stone benches chatting.

"You should probably wait here, and get your ID while you're at it, okay Arc?" I told him, ruffling his hair.

"Good luck, Lightning!" he called, as I walked up to the reception desk surrounding the elevator. The receptionist was a stunning blonde woman. She had thick blonde curls, and piercing blue eyes. She smiled at me, revealing super white teeth.

"Welcome to the Pompa Sancta! I'm Jane, how can I help you?" she asked me, rather cheerfully.

"I am Corporal Farron, here for a promotion with the Primarch." I told her. She went through her computer and nodded.

"Alright, hop in the elevator, and your stop will be the twentieth floor." she told me, hitting a button, an letting me into the elevator. The doors slid shut, and I waited until at last, they opened again.

I stood in a cavernous throne room. Pillars lined a red carpet, leading up to a golden chair on a raised dais. Guards stood positioned at each pillar, and upon the golden chair sat a man. I walked up to him, my footsteps echoing in the room. I finally stopped at the foot of the dais, and bowed.

"Rise," a strong voice demanded. I stood up and looked at the man before me. He had a withered face, and he was dressed like a holy figure. He wore a tall hat that came into one point, like an arch. From the hat, a white veil extended on either side of his face. He wore a purple and white cloak embroidered with gold threads.

"Claire Farron, you are here today for a promotion in the Guardian Corps." he began loudly. "For your bravery and devotion not only to the people of Bodhum, where you are stationed, but to the people of Eden, of Palumpolum, of Nautilus, of Sulyya, I promote you to position of Sergeant. I give you command of all soldiers under your rank, regardless of their divisions." he said with full authority of the land. As he spoke his final words, a third stripe appeared upon my shoulder plate. "You may go," he said, dismissing me with a wave of his hand. I walked down to the elevator, taking it down to the lobby, with a newfound pride and excitement. Arc ran up to me and hugged me.

"So how was it?" he asked me, looking at the new third stripe on my shoulder plate. I told him how it went and what the Primarch looked like as we walked out of the building and into the bustling city.

"I'm gonna buy Serah a gift, wanna help me pick it out?" I asked him, smiling.

"Alright, that's gonna make her happy. You have a great sister, Light." he told me. We walked into a jewellery store, and I looked at the diamond necklaces. There was one that was white gold, and had about a hundred half-carat diamonds, and ended with a three carat diamond pendant. It looked stunning, and I knew it was the one. I looked at the lady who worked the desk. She had soft brown hair, and brown eyes. She was slightly tan and had a delicate smile.

"I would like to buy that one," I told her, pointing out the necklace.

"Oh, and what is the occasion, if I may ask?" she asked excitedly.

"I just got promoted to sergeant, and I wanted to buy my sister a gift to celebrate." I told her. She widened her eyes.

"Very impressive. The normal price is ten thousand Gil, but for you, I will give you a special deal: five thousand Gil." she told me. I bit my lip and thought about it. Well, we did have enough, and I _would _be getting two thousand Gil a week from my new job.

"I'll take it, and thank you for the generous offer." I told her, pulling out my SMD, and scanning it so it transferred the funds. The woman put it in a pink box, and wrapped it with a ribbon.

"A very fine piece of jewellery, that one." she told me, eyeing it with appreciation. "One of the best pieces I've ever made. If you ever need anything else, come back to Selma's Jewellery Company." I took the box and gave her my thanks. Arc and I took the train back to Bodhum.

_"Now arriving at Mid-Bodhum Platform. Connections to North Bodhum, and South Bodhum can be made here."_

I told Arc 'goodbye' as we took different trains to get to our destinations. About ten minutes later, I came into the house, and gasped.


	7. Gysahl Greens

The table was set with our golden china set, and the special golden silverware was set out on royal red napkins. In the middle of the table sat a silver tray with an extravagantly cooked Behemoth steak. The Behemoth steak rested upon a nest of cooked Gysahl greens. Premium Bresha wine sat in our crystal wine glasses. Serah sat in the chair facing the door, and she smiled at me as I came in.

"Oh, wow Serah!" I said breathlessly. "This is amazing!"

"I knew you would love it!" she beamed, beaconing me to sit down.

"Just as you will love the gift I got for you." I told her, handing her the little pink box. She undid the ribbon, and opened it with a gasp.

"Oh, Lightning!" she exclaimed, pulling the necklace out. "It's so beautiful! I love it so much." she smiled, putting it on. It dazzled in the light, looking absolutely stunning. We started eating the amazing meal that Serah had cooked. The Behemoth steak was juicy, tender, and seasoned to perfection. The Gysahl greens were cooked just right, so that they weren't too strong or too soft.


	8. Fall of Pulse

"You must be the youngest sergeant, Light. You're only sixteen!" Serah said in awe.

"Yea, I actually am. Most parents won't let their kids join the army at a young age because of the risk, but since I am our guardian, I can, and I advanced quickly." I explained to her. Serah was examining the way the diamonds caught the light, and she smiled.

"Does that mean I scored well?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, it is so beautiful!" she smiled. I smiled to myself and pulled something out of the satchel strapped to my leg.

"I have another surprise for you too." I said, pulling out two identical small papers.

"No way!" Serah gasped. "I wanted to see the Fall of Pulse so badly! When do we go?"

"Right now!" I said, laughing. I was in such a good mood, I wanted to go all out for my sister. She deserved a treat.

"Hmm, I'll make some popcorn right now so we can leave soon." she said getting up.

"No, no, no!" I said, shaking my head. "We'll get snacks and drinks there."

"But you say that popcorn is filled with butter and grease even though it tastes good." Serah said in shock. It was true. I had never let her get that movie theatre popcorn. It was tasty, but not healthy.

"Serah," I started. "I'm taking you out for a treat. The normal rules don't apply right now. Get a large drink and popcorn. Get some Gummy Guis too if you want." I reassured her. She smiled and basically radiated joy. We talked about her day as we walked towards the North Bodhum Cinema.

"Well, me and my girl Khloe were in the cafeteria today, and this guy named Snow came up to us," she started excitedly. My jaw tightened but I kept my mouth shut. "He complimented my eyes, saying they reminded him of the ocean, and gave me his number." she shrieked in excitement. I clapped a hand on her shoulder.

"Good job. Just be careful. Maybe we should go to the beach tomorrow." I told her, smiling as we walked up to the theatre. It was an old building, but its really nicely decorated. It had tall, marble columns, which were lit up with golden lights. We walked into the theatre. The smell of popcorn was upon the air. Excitedly, Serah ran up to the snack vendor.

"Hello," he said in a bored voice. He had pale blond hair, and eyes just as pale. He was tall, and rather handsome. "Can I get you any snacks or drinks for your movie?"

"I would like a large popcorn, two boxes of Gummy Guis, and a box of Sweet Behemoths — oh, and two large cherry sodas!" Serah said quickly. The man slowly got us our order and looked at us.

"That will be thirty Gill." he said in that same lazy voice. What a miser's bargain! Thirty Gil! I slid the money over and we walked into the movie.

The lights all went out with a _boom_, a few minutes after we had sat down. The screen came on, showing the opening scenes.

_In the beginning, the Mighty Bhunivelze created Gran Pulse. From Etro's blood, Lindzei created humans…_

The narrative went on, with a detailed description on the rise and fall of Pulse, and the difference between the humans of Pulse and the humans of Cocoon. It said that there were very few humans on Gran Pulse, because of the over infestations of monsters. The great civilisations of Gran Pulse died, and withered away as the ages pressed on, their names being lost to time, their remains slowly crumbling into dust.


End file.
